The beer labels

The label in time

Simple rectangle of paper behind the label changes with eg the development of the label << ceramic >>, in color, in 1885. 1892, printed labels in different colors make their appearance, but the monochrome label will be used again for more than sixty years, for financial reasons. However, after 1920, to generalize labels oval, with fine-dishes, they are essentially labels tricolor: blue / white / red or blue / yellow / red, whose simplicity is however true works of art. The period 1940 - 1945 marked a parenthesis: the paper shortage forced brewers to simplify labels, slashed the format and text, delete the picture, or use bottled sanded. Finally, after 1945, the label format adopts essentially rectangular. At the same time grow bottles painted monochrome, always restricted to the local market. More simply, small breweries are satisfied with a neck label that can be affixed on the mechanical plug as security band ..

Extract from the article: The beer label by Philippe Voluer

Some infos to be found in the wording of labels ...

Abbey beers or Trappist ?

Among my collection there are beer labels from Trappist and Abey. What's the difference ?
The abbey beers are made by lay under the control of a religious community, they are 22 in Belgium including :

• Abbey of Leffe
• St. Feuillien
• Val-Dieu
• Grimbergen
• Maredsous
• Petrus
• Tripel Karmelite
• .....

Trappist beers are only brewed by Trappist monks or less under their control. They are seven in number, which can carry the coveted 'Authentic Trappist Product'

• Abbaye Notre Dame du Sacré Coeur which produces Westmalle
• Abbaye Notre-Dame d'Orval which produces Orval
• Abbaye Notre Dame de Scourmont which produces Chimay
• Abbaye Notre Dame de Saint Remy which produces Rochefort
• Sint-Benedictus Abbey which produces Achel
• Abbey of Saint Sixtus Westvleteren produces the Westvleteren

White, Blond, Brown, Double, Triple, Quadruple ?

The beer is very complex. The four main ingredients that compose it are: water, malt (from the fermentation of barley), hops and bitterness that gives the yeast. Brewers often add other ingredients to get a particular flavor. These ingredients give taste and color degrees of alcohol beer. The type of beer varies depending on the components used in the manufacture.

What do we find on the label ?

The main themes found in the illustration labels are:

• the ingredients in beer
• the monks
• Christmas landscapes
• scenes of humor
• landscape of the place of the brewery
• ...

Vidange 1941

By Ministerial Decree of 25 November 1941, the Brewers were forced to collect empty bottles. Marked 'vidange 1941' (vidange = returnable) on old labels reminded consumers the obligation bring back the bottles.